‘Synodal and missionary’: Pope Leo XIV’s election affirms Church’s path of listening and dialogue, collaborators say

CNS photo/Lola Gomez

+ Enlarge

Pope Leo XIV waves to the crowd from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican as he leads, for the first time, the midday recitation of the "Regina Coeli" prayer May 11.

VATICAN CITY  — On May 8, the world met its new pope. Cardinal Robert Prevost, an American missionary and Vatican official, took the name Leo XIV. In his first public address from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, the new pope made clear his vision: a missionary church, a synodal church and a church committed to building peace.

“Peace be with you!” he began, repeating the Risen Christ’s Easter greeting. “This is the peace of the Risen Christ, a disarmed peace and a disarming peace, humble and persevering.”

Pope Leo XIV thanked his predecessor, Pope Francis, whose “weak but always courageous voice” continued to echo on Easter Sunday, his final public appearance, and made clear his intention to carry forward the vision of a church that walks together, builds bridges and remains close to the suffering.

“We want to be a synodal church,” he said. “A church that walks, a church that always seeks peace, that always seeks charity, that always seeks to be close especially to those who suffer.”

The former bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, Pope Leo XIV brings a blend of pastoral heart and Vatican leadership. Most recently, he served as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, shaping the global episcopacy under Pope Francis.

Those who worked with him during the Church’s recent Synod of Bishops on synodality say the cardinals’ choice of Pope Leo XIV signals continuity with Pope Francis’ efforts to renew the Church’s structures and spirit.

“Last October we shared the same table at the synod for a couple of weeks,” said José Manuel De Urquidi, founder of the Juan Diego Network and one of the few lay delegates with voting rights. “He is a reflective man, a deep thinker. He never wanted to be the center of attention. He cares deeply about people – especially about the bishops from all over the world.”

Urquidi said he believes Pope Leo XIV’s missionary experience in Peru and his Vatican work with bishops helped form a conviction that “a church that is synodal and missionary is key in these times.”

“He will for sure be looking to listen to everyone and engage with them, bringing people together in Christ,” he said.

French Sister Nathalie Becquart, undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops and the first woman with voting rights in a synod, also underscored the importance of Leo XIV’s experience in both synodal assemblies.

“Just listening to his first speech, where he mentioned his desire to continue to work together in a synodal church, is a sign that he is taking up this call,” she said.